Don't Throw it Away! Using Food Waste to Generate Energy and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions [S-26-12]

Food waste represents more than 20% of the waste discarded to landfills. Instead of throwing it away, food waste can be processed to recover important resources: ENERGY and FERTILIZER.

Participants will learn about food waste management and anaerobic digestion, a process that converts organic wastes into biogas, a carbon-free energy substitute for natural gas. We will tour the anaerobic digester system at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Farm, which treats food waste from Canton Central School cafeterias. Participants will also view algae reactors and learn about research investigating the addition of algae to dairy cow feed to reduce methane emissions.

Jan DeWaters is a faculty member in the Institute for STEM Education at Clarkson University. She using her background in environmental engineering to engage in education research and teach introductory-level courses that focus on the significance of engineering contributions to society and the environment.

Stefan Grimberg is a Professor in Clarkson University's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and is co-director of the Center of Excellence in Healthy Water Solutions. His research explores ways to improve anaerobic digestion systems so they will be economically viable for smaller farms or smaller waste generators.

Special Instructions:

Interested participants can explore the Food-to-Energy project at https://sites.clarkson.edu/foodwaste

Cap: 25